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THE STAR Tuesday 31 March 2015

StarSpecial YOUR HEALTH


Protecting the future
Get involved in your
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Ensuring public health > 8

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2 YOUR HEALTH StarSpecial, Tuesday 31 March 2015

Shielding children from diseases


A large umbrella

By ANUSHIA KANDASIVAM

OLIO, an infectious disease


that causes muscle weakness
and death, is still one of
the most concerning childhood
diseases of the 20th century.
Not all who survive the initial
infection recover fully from the
muscle weakness, which results
in the inability to move or a slow
increase in muscle weakness for
years after.
In May last year, the World
Health Organization (WHO)
declared a public health
emergency of international
concern due to outbreaks of polio
in Asia, Africa and the Middle
East.
In Malaysia, there have been no
reported cases of polio since 2000.
The reason for this is widespread
vaccination.

The bigger picture


In the simplest terms,
vaccinations provide a barrier
against disease. Just like an
umbrella protects from the rain,
vaccinations shield the body
either from the whole infection
or from the worst of it so that the
infected person develops only
extremely mild, nonlife-threatening symptoms.
Every countrys health
authority has a list of vaccinations
that are compulsory for residents.
In many of these countries,

Vaccinations are to
diseases what an
umbrella is to rain.

including Malaysia, most if not all


of these vaccinations are provided
for free by the government.
The reason these vaccinations
have been made routine is that
they protect the population
as a whole from potentially
catastrophic health, social and
economic devastation.
Dramatic as this may sound,
widespread diseases, especially
infectious ones, have carved
swaths of death and social and
economic ruin in many countries
across the centuries.
The Black Death, for example,
is still referenced today because it
was one of the most destructive

pandemics in human history.


It caused the economy of
medieval Europe to undergo
abrupt and extreme inflation as
workers became increasingly
scarce due to illness and death,
while the production and trade
of goods became difficult and
dangerous.
In modern times, WHOs
Guide to Identifying the Economic
Consequences of Disease and Injury
states that widespread disease and
injury have both a microeconomic
effect (on the countrys overall
gross domestic product) and a
macroeconomic effect (on the
society and individual welfare).

As a result of Malaysias
National Immunisation
Programme, the majority of
the rakyat is protected from
the infectious diseases that are
commonly found in the
South-East Asian region.
On an individual and social
level, the effectiveness of vaccines
means that the majority of the
Malaysian population those aged
below 60 has never seen a severe
form of a disease or a pandemic in
their lifetimes.
The fact that such a large
percentage of the population
is protected creates a form of
indirect immunity in people who
are not immune.
Basically, the disease will
not have a chance to reach the
unvaccinated person who is
surrounded by hundreds or even
thousands of immune people.
This phenomenon is called herd
immunity.
Individuals who cannot become
immune, such as newborn
babies or people with medical
complications that severely
compromise their immune
systems or prevent them from
receiving vaccines, depend on
herd immunity for protection.
However, things are changing.
The anti-vaccination movement
has reached Malaysian shores,
prompting parents to refuse
vaccinations for their children,

spurred on by unverified and


anecdotal reports of the perceived
perils of vaccines made by other
parents all over the world on the
Internet.
There are also some parents
who do not see any danger
in vaccinations but choose
to have their children grow
up naturally without any
synthetic supplementation to their
childrens health.
What these parents do
not understand is that the
vaccinations are there to assist
their childs body to grow
stronger to fight infections more
effectively. A little bit of pain and
discomfort will help save a life,
says Dr Yeoh Seen Hun, consultant
paediatrician at Pantai Hospital
Cheras.
He adds that delaying
vaccinations instead of outright
refusal is only viable when the
vaccination is for a relatively
lower-risk disease.
However, whether parents
choose to refuse or delay,
determining which infectious
disease poses a lower risk to the
child is difficult as numerous
factors such as the childs age,
environment, community and
family history can come into play,
not to mention that the people
the child will come into contact
with will always remain an
uncontrolled factor.
>> TURN TO PAGE 3

Finding sound sleep


STATISTICS show that 45% of all adults
snore occasionally while 25% are habitual
snorers.
According to a study by the British
Snoring and Sleep Apnoea Association,
partners of snorers are kept awake two
hours each night, losing some two years of
sleep over the average course of a marriage.
Snoring is aggravated by a small
jaw, obesity, sinusitis, smoking, alcohol,
tranquillisers, sleeping pills, a flabby soft
palate or uvula or an enlarged tongue. Any
snoring is a sign that breathing is disrupted.
It can lead to sleep apnoea, a disorder
that causes people to stop breathing for
10 to 30 seconds at a time while they
are sleeping. Often, it is the partner who
recognises the symptoms.
Yap Ming Tian was aware that he was a
snorer, but last year, it became so bad that
he would wake up several times in the
middle of the night, gasping for breath.
This continued when Yap visited his
daughter in London six months ago. His
daughter, a doctor, instantly recognised it
as apnoea.
Experts say most do not even know
they have apnoea, but it is as common as
diabetes and wakes you from deep sleep,
rendering you tired and unable to function
properly the next day.
Apnoea is potentially life-threatening as
it raises blood pressure, reduces the flow of
oxygen to the brain and can, at worst, lead
to stroke, heart attack and even death.
Common ways of treatment are by
using herbal tonics and sprays, drugs
or mandibular advancement devices.
Conventional methods use nasal continuous
positive airway pressure devices. In very
serious cases, doctors may recommend
surgery.
Yaps daughter saw a mandibular device,
called the Somnoguard, which she felt
suited her fathers needs.

Yap can now sleep soundly thanks to the


mandibular device.
The Somnoguard is made from a flexible
material and resembles dentures.
Developed in Germany, the device
shifts the lower jaw forward during sleep
to further open up the respiratory tract.
Advancement of the lower jaw up to 10mm
with 0.5mm accuracy is made with the
adjustment of a screw on the device.
Clinical examinations in the University
of Mannheim sleep laboratory have shown
that snoring in 80% of patients disappeared
completely or almost completely with the
use of this device.
The rate of dangerous nocturnal
breathing arrests was reduced by up to 60%.
When Yap first tried the device, he slept
soundly for the first time in years and has
since become a distributor of the device in
Malaysia.
n For more information, call 03-7954 3622
visit www.getupfresh.com

StarSpecial, Tuesday 31 March 2015

>> FROM PAGE 2

Compulsory vaccinations in Malaysia

Prevention and cure


AS more and more people remain
unvaccinated, herd immunity
is compromised and infectious
diseases spread at an exponential
rate.
The fact is, if vaccinations are
stopped, the infectious diseases
that are no longer present in
Malaysia will come back.
The anti-vaccination movement
has become so widespread as
to cause serious concern among
individuals and governments all
over the world.
In North America, Australia
and across Europe, some doctors
are refusing to treat unvaccinated
children or those who delay
vaccination because they do
not want to compromise the
health of other patients who are
too young or too ill from nonvaccinating diseases to receive an
inoculation. There have also been
calls for schools to refuse to enrol
unvaccinated children.
In March last year, Croatia made
childhood vaccinations mandatory.
The government stated that The
childs right to health is more than
the rights of parents to the (wrong)
choice.
Though Croatia is seen to have
made an intelligent, evidencebased decision in the interest
of public and economic health,
this kind of law that impinges on
an individuals right of choice is
unlikely to be passed in most other
countries in the world.
The larger problem in Malaysia
seems to be the lack of education
and awareness among parents

about the need, efficacy and


availability of vaccinations.
Though the majority of parents
find out about the need for
vaccinations from family, friends,
their doctors or from their own
research, most are ambivalent as to
why they are required or even that
they should be given in a timely
manner.
Its hard for parents to
keep up with the schedules for
vaccinations, especially if you have
more than one child, says Jeya
Kanny, a mother of three.
Kanny herself delayed giving
her two younger children the MMR
vaccination because of concerns
about complications, which she
found out about while conducting
research on the Internet and
through reading books on the
subject.
She says that there is not
enough information provided to
the public about vaccinations, and
that government-implemented
awareness campaigns on the
various vaccinations and why they
are required would be effective
in educating and allaying any
concerns of parents such as herself.
She also reveals that bringing up

YOUR HEALTH 3

the subject of delaying or refusing


vaccinations for discussion with
medical professionals tends to be
met with dismissal.
It seems then that members
of the medical profession who
are in contact with parents of
vaccination-age children are
a great untapped resource for
information on an individual level.
While making the effort to
inform and educate oneself
of the various ailments and
developmental milestones ones
child can and will experience is
commendable, parents should
be sceptical of unverified and
unscientific claims of the dangers
or the efficacy of medical
solutions.
The majority of vaccinations,
especially those listed as
compulsory by Malaysias National
Immunisation Programme, are
tried and tested and have been in
use for years if not decades with
no severe side effects.
The overwhelming scientific
evidence shows that vaccinations
do more good than harm. It is
better to prevent infection and
save a life or many lives than
scramble for a cure.

Newborn

BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin) for tuberculosis


Hepatitis B - 1st Dose

1 month

Hepatitis B - 2nd dose

2 months

1st dose of the following:


DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus,
acellular pertussis)
Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b)
IPV (Inactivated Poliovirus)

3 months

2nd dose of the following:


DTaP
Hib
IPV

5 months

3rd dose of the following:


DTaP
Hib
IPV

6 months

Hepatitis B - 3rd dose


Measles (Sabah only)

10 months

Japanese Encephalitis - 1st dose (Sarawak only)

12 months

1st dose: MMR


2nd dose: Japanese Encephalitis (Sarawak only)

18 months

4th dose of the following:


DTaP
IPV
Hib
3rd dose of:
Japanese Encephalitis (Sarawak only)

4 years old

4th dose of Japanese Encephalitis


(Sarawak only)

7 years old

BCG (if no scar)


DT (diphtheria, tetanus booster)
2nd dose of MMR

13 years old

HPV - 3 doses within 6 months


(2nd dose 1 month after 1st dose, 3rd dose 6 months
after 1st dose)
TT (tetanus)

15 years old

n For more information, visit www.moh.gov.my or


kempas.malaysia.gov.my

4 YOUR HEALTH StarSpecial, Tuesday 31 March 2015

Managing
childrens allergies
I

N the 1960s, only about 5% of


the worlds population were
diagnosed with some form of
allergy.
Now, the number has grown to
almost 30%.
This may be due to a number
of factors, including increased
pollutants in the environment as
countries develop.
Its not something to sneeze
at, says Dr Amir Hamzah Abdul
Latiff, consultant paediatrician
and clinical immunologist/
allergist at Pantai Hospital Kuala
Lumpur.
Allergies are atopic diseases,
which in childhood include
asthma, allergic rhinitis (affecting
the nose) and atopic dermatitis
(affecting the skin).
Atopic diseases affect people
who have much higher levels of
the antibody Immunoglobulin E
(IgE) than normal. IgE identifies
and reacts to an allergen, which
triggers an allergic reaction in the
body.
In some cases, the child may
not have an allergic reaction the
first time he comes into contact
with the allergen.
Instead, the body will be
sensitised to the allergen the
first time and the next time the
child comes into contact with
the allergen, a reaction will be
triggered.
According to Dr Amir, IgE
can be passed on to a baby via
genetics, in-utero via amniotic
fluids and through the mothers
breast milk, which is why babies
sometimes develop the same
allergies as their mothers.

Dr Amir Hamzah Abdul Latiff.

Diagnosis and management


Dr Amir explains that the best
way to diagnose and identify an
allergy is for the doctor to take a
detailed history of the patient and
then administer the appropriate
allergy test this can be a blood
test or a skin prick test.
Paediatricians, especially
those who are allergy experts,
can almost be medical detectives.
If you take a really good patient
history, about 80% of the time you
can make a diagnosis from there.
Then, when you administer the
allergy test, you will know what
allergy you are looking for, he
says.
There are a myriad of things
that a child can be allergic to. The
most common are food allergies.
The second most common is
probably dust mites, which can be

found anywhere and everywhere,


and other inhalant allergies.
Managing these allergies means
keeping the child away from the
allergen ensuring that your
home is as free of dust mites as
possible by frequent cleaning, or
eliminating a certain food from
the childs diet.
When it comes to food allergies,
doctors and parents should be
careful about eliminating too
many foods from the childs diet.
Usually, the child is only allergic to
one or two different foods.
Children, especially toddlers,
are in a rapid state of development
and need a lot of different foods
to provide enough nutrition for
growth. An overly restricted diet
could affect this growth, explains
Dr Amir.

Seeing a specialist
Most parents would bring their
child to a general practitioner,
who should be fully capable of
diagnosing an allergy and advising
parents on how to manage it.
However, allergies are often
not as simple as you think and
it may be quite difficult to even
determine that the child is having
an allergic reaction as opposed
to a cough or cold if you are not a
trained allergist or immunologist,
reveals Dr Amir.
A specialist will be able to
advise parents on the optimal
treatment of the childs allergies
and work with the parents and
child to manage them so that they
have minimal effect on the childs
daily life.

Monitoring coughs and colds


COUGHS and colds are so common
in children that most parents
will take their child to the family
doctor first.
It is quite common to even get
an over-the-counter treatment for
the child.
Its when there is no
improvement after two or three
doctors visits that parents bring
their child to a specialist, says
Dr Yeoh See Hun, consultant
paediatrician at Pantai Hospital
Cheras.
A child will usually take about
a week to recover from a simple
cough and cold. Sometimes,
parents may think the child has a
cold but it is actually something
completely different, such as
allergic rhinitis or asthma.
The child will have most of the
same symptoms of a cold, but the
cause is different allergies.

Prevalence
It is unsurprising that parents
worry when their young child falls
ill. However, children naturally fall
ill quite frequently, says Dr Yeoh.
Babies are still protected by
their mothers antibodies for about
four or five months after birth,
so they rarely get sick then. After

Dr Yeoh See Hun.


this period, their bodies start
to learn how to fight infections
themselves.
Once they are toddlers and
start to socialise with other kids,
there will certainly be cross
infections as they share toys and
food.
During these periods,
their immune systems are still
developing. After they get infected

a few times, their bodies will know


how to fight the infection, he
explains.
What parents should look out
for is a cough and cold that starts
out mild but becomes worse
instead of getting better after
three or four days.
Babies below six months old
are not good mouth breathers, so
if the nose is blocked, they may
not be able to feed or breathe
properly, says Dr Yeoh. This is
where a simple cold can become a
bigger problem.
Warning signs parents can look
out for include:
l Breathlessness or taking deep
breaths
l Poor feeding
l Inability to sleep the child
keeps waking up or crying
l Lethargy
If these signs are present, it is
best to bring the child to hospital
immediately.
The doctors may treat the child
by administering nose drops to
dry the mucus, suctioning out the
phlegm from the nose and throat
or giving him or her oxygen.
>> TURN TO PAGE 5

Recognising
skin ailments
A RASH on the skin may be
caused by a number of factors
and may be indicative of a
number of problems.
In many children, rashes
are indicative of allergies.
Parents should learn how to
differentiate an allergic rash
from something less harmful
such as a heat or diaper rash.
Diaper rashes are caused by
friction of the skin against the
diaper and the combination of
urine and faecal matter. Heat
rash occurs when there are
high temperatures and the
sweat glands are blocked. Heat
rash goes away when the body
is cooler.
Allergic rashes, such as
eczema, are caused when
the skin comes into contact
with an allergen such as dust
mites or certain foods such as
seafood, peanuts or egg white.
The skin becomes red
and bumpy and starts to itch.
It may also be accompanied
by other symptoms such as
a runny nose and wheezing,
explains Dr Khoo Teng Hock,
consultant paediatrician at
Pantai Hospital Ampang.
Children who are more
prone to allergies atopic
children may have a
hereditary propensity to
allergic skin reactions when
they come into contact with
allergens or insect bites.
Eczema can affect children
of all ages. In babies aged
two to six months, eczema
presents as rashes over the
cheeks and neck. In older
children, the rash can occur on
the outer parts of the arms, on
the elbows and on the legs.

Treatment
The easiest treatment for
allergic eczema is avoidance
of the trigger. This means
that parents and the doctor
must work together to find
out what the child is allergic
to and remove it from the
environment.
Hygiene is also important;
the childs skin should be
properly washed with a gentle
soap to remove any trace of
the allergen.
Use a soap or shower gel
that has the same pH levels
as normal skin, which is
between five and six. Also,
use hypoallergenic cleansers,
moisturisers and other
products on the skin and do
not bathe too often, advises
Dr Khoo.
With eczema, the outer
layer of skin is more prone
to losing moisture, which
contributes to its dry and itchy
state.
The doctor may prescribe
an emollient a moisturiser
to help the skin regain and
retain moisture, he says.
In severe cases, where
there is redness, itchiness and
swelling over the whole body,
the doctor will administer the
emollient and then wrap the
child with bandages to trap
the moisture next to the skin,

In babies aged
two to six
months, eczema
presents as
rashes over
the cheeks and
neck. In older
children the rash
can occur on the
outer parts of
the arms, on the
elbows and on
the legs.
Dr Khoo Teng Hock
he continues.
The itchiness can also be
treated with an antihistamine
and, in extremely severe cases,
with a low to medium potency
steroids.
A child with eczema will be
more susceptible to other skin
infections, such as Staphylococcal
aureus bacteria or viruses such as
herpesvirus, which may enter the
system through the eczema sores.

The allergic march


Children who are prone to
allergy and who have already
developed eczema sometimes go
on to develop more allergies such
as allergic rhinitis and asthma.
This progression of allergies is
called the allergic march.
Nipping it in the bud is the key
to prevention. Parents should be
aware of the first signs of allergic
reactions and take steps to stop
them. By working together
with the childs doctor, control
and management of allergies is
certainly possible.

Common symptoms
of eczema




Itching of the skin


A burning sensation on
the skin
Red bumps on the skin
that may weep or crust
Skin that become dry,
scaly or rough
Inflammation of the
skin

StarSpecial, Tuesday 31 March 2015

Watching out for AGE


C

HILDREN often complain of


stomach aches, and though
these are often benign,
occasionally it can be something
more severe, such as acute
gastroenteritis (AGE).
AGE is an inflammation or
infection of the gastrointestinal
tract. Basically, the lining of the
gut is damaged and toxins are
released from the pathogens. Both
of these will cause food to remain
undigested in the intestines and
not be absorbed properly. It also
causes diarrhoea.
The inflammation is usually
caused by viruses, bacteria
and parasites. If the source of
these is contaminated food, the
gastroenteritis is called food
poisoning. It is usually caused
by a bacterial infection, explains
Dr Shariza Lukman, consultant
paediatrician at Pantai Hospital
Klang.
About 70% of cases of AGE
are caused by viruses, most
commonly rotavirus, novovirus
and adenovirus.
Food poisoning may occur
between six and 24 hours after
eating contaminated food and
lasts for one or two days. In viral
gastroenteritis, the symptoms
persist longer between two and
seven days or more, says
Dr Shariza.
The most common way AGE is
transmitted is through faecal-oral
contact. This is when a person
comes into contact with the
infected faeces of another person.
For example, if a child at
daycare has rotavirus, and a
daycare worker changes the
childs diaper without washing her
hands thoroughly after that, the
virus can be easily spread to other
children at the centre.
The second most common
way is through ingesting food
or water that contains the virus
or bacteria. Contamination and
transmission occur when hygiene
is compromised.
The rotavirus is the most
common cause of AGE worldwide,
and causes 40% of cases of severe
dehydration and 500,000 infant
deaths every year.
The symptoms of AGE include:
l Fever
l Diarrhoea (defined as passage of
loose or watery stool at least three

The inflammation
is usually caused
by viruses,
bacteria and
parasites. If the
source of these
is contaminated
food, the
gastroenteritis
is called food
poisoning. It is
usually caused
by a bacterial
infection.
Dr Shariza Lukman.
times in 24 hours)
l Vomiting
l Bloody stools
l Abdominal pain
The biggest problem in AGE,
however, is not the symptoms
but rather the complications they
cause. Because of the diarrhoea
and vomiting, the child loses
bodily fluids and electrolytes and
may become severely dehydrated.
Severe dehydration can be
dangerous. If the child is less
than six months old and shows
the symptoms of AGE, parents
should seek medical attention
immediately, advises Dr Shariza.

Treatment
In most cases of mild AGE,
oral rehydration salts (ORS) is the
treatment of choice. These contain
a balance of electrolytes, glucose
and minerals and are dissolved in
water and given to the child.
ORS are recommended as a
treatment by the World Health
Organization. Drug therapy is
unnecessary in most cases.
If small children are vomiting,
they will not want or be able to
drink a whole glass at one time,
so parents should give them a few
sips every five minutes to slowly
rehydrate them.
Also continue breast feeding or
giving the child milk, but perhaps
a lesser amount more frequently,
says Dr Shariza.

If the child still has wet nappies


and is active, this is a good sign
that they are not dehydrated.
However, if the symptoms of
dehydration do not go away or
get worse, especially if the child is
drowsy or lethargic, they must be
brought to see the doctor again.
Doctors may also prescribe an
anti-secretory agent to reduce
the frequency of the diarrhoea.
This will reduce stool output by
50% in 48 hours and help prevent
dehydration.
Parental education and
awareness is a very important
factor in the childs infection, she
continues.
In developing countries
especially, poor sanitation and
hygiene are major causes of AGE,
so parents should teach their
children to keep themselves and
their environment clean.
When it comes to the child
recovering from AGE and the
dehydration it causes, parents
need to be aware of the signs
and symptoms of both and seek
effective treatment.

Signs of dehydration




Dry lips, dry or sticky mouth


Lack of urine or wet diapers
Lethargy or irritability the
child is always sleeping or
crying
Little or no tears when
crying
Eyes look sunken

YOUR HEALTH 5

Living with asthma


ASTHMA develops because of
an inflammation of the airways
leading to the lungs. This
happens in people who are very
sensitive to allergens such as
dust mites or pollutants. It can
also be caused by a number of
other triggers, such as a sudden
change in air temperature,
exertion or a fungal infection in
the lungs.
The inflammation means
that the airways are squeezed
shut, which leads to wheezing,
shortness of breath and a feeling
of tightness in the chest.
This is one disease that can
have many causes, says Dr
Kent Woo Chee Keen, allergy
and immunology consultant at
Gleneagles Kuala Lumpur.
Dr Woo explains that about
80% of asthma cases are those
triggered by allergies.
To identify exactly what the
child is allergic to, the doctor
will take a detailed patient
history, conduct a physical exam
and administer an allergy test,
which can be in the form of a
blood test or a skin prick test.
Once the specific allergen is
determined, parents have to try
to remove it so that it will not
trigger asthma attacks in the
child. Often, this is all it takes to
stop asthma attacks.
However, if the trigger is
something ubiquitous such
as dust mites, some form of
medication is required to
manage the childs asthma.
The most common
medication for control and
management of asthma are
inhaled steroids. These are a
form of anti-inflammatory drugs
that prevent the inflammation
and closing of the airways.

Management
In many cases, very young
children often outgrow their
asthma.
Many children develop
asthma when very young
because their immune systems
are not developed enough to
fight infections or they just have
very small lungs and airways.
Once their immune system is

Dr Kent Woo Chee Keen.


stronger or they grow bigger, the
asthma goes away, says Dr Woo.
Meanwhile, using medication
to control and manage asthma
is very important. According
to Dr Woo, many parents stop
their children from using their
steroid inhalers when the child
is feeling better, which they
should not do.
In order to get the disease
under control, the child must
continue to take the medication
regularly. If it is not controlled
when the child is still young, the
lungs will not be able to grow
properly and the child may
never outgrow the disease, he
says.
Without proper management,
the child may suffer serious
asthma attacks that require
hospitalisation. Rescue
treatment in these instances
involves a very high dose of
injected steroids, which will
affect every part of the body, not
just the lungs. This dose is often
a few hundred times the regular
dosage of inhaled steroids the
child should be taking.
Parents may fail to see the
risk of non-treatment that it
may impair the childs growth
and affect his daily activities as
well as subject him to high doses
of medication and the trauma of
hospitalisation, says Dr Woo.
Proper management and
control of asthma is achievable
and the best way to treat the
disease.

Asthma myths

>> FROM PAGE 4

Though asthma is a common complaint among children, many people


still do not know a lot about it. Here are some myths surrounding living
with and treating asthma:
Myth 1: Asthma is contagious
Asthma is not a contagious disease.

Prevention as treatment

Myth 2: You only need to take asthma medicine to stop an attack


Asthma medicines should be taken according to your doctors advice,
which is usually regularly in order to control and manage your bodys
reactions to allergens.

THE best treatment is prevention,


where parents play a big role.
Parents should teach their
children proper hygiene simple
things such as washing hands
and should try to keep their child
away from friends or siblings who
are ill to prevent infection.
Often, older siblings can infect
a small child. The symptoms may
be quite mild in the older child but
because the toddler or baby has
an undeveloped immune system,
he may be badly affected, says Dr
Yeoh.
Once the child is infected,
medications will help relieve
symptoms. Dr Yeoh advises against
cough syrups for very small

children or babies, unless they are


non-drowsy and indicated for the
childs age.
This is because a drowsy syrup
will prevent the child from waking
up for feedings or make them sleep
too soundly to cough and clear
the phlegm from their lungs and
throats.
Antibiotics may also be
prescribed to fight the bacterial
infection, and it is very important
that the whole course of
antibiotics is completed, says
Dr Yeoh.
The antibiotics and the body
work together to fight the infection
so if they are stopped earlier,
the infection may not be cleared

completely and will spread to other


systems.
Even if the symptoms have
disappeared, the infection may
still be present until the end of the
prescription course.
In the end, the child can
recover from a cough and cold at
home with careful monitoring by
parents.
Medication is just there to
assist the recovery process and to
make the child feel better, says Dr
Yeoh.
Coughs and colds are part
and parcel of growing up and the
childs body will soon get strong
enough that they dont fall sick so
often.

Myth 3: Inhaled steroids are unsafe


When taken as directed, inhaled steroids or corticosteroids are safe,
well-tolerated and one of the most effective medications for asthma
treatment.
Myth 4: You can become addicted to asthma medicines
The medicines used to treat asthma are not addictive. Because asthma
is often a chronic disease, long-term use of medicines is needed to
control and manage it.
Myth 5: Asthma medicines become less effective if taken
for a long time
Proper use of asthma medicines can actually reduce airway
inflammation and lead to decreased medicine use. Inadequately
controlled airway inflammations will lead to exacerbations of asthma
and require more potent medications for rescue therapy.

6 YOUR HEALTH StarSpecial, Tuesday 31 March 2015

Vaccination myths and facts


THERE is so much conflict about
vaccinations, their efficacy and whether
or not they are harmful.
Finding the truth among the heaps
of information available on the Internet
is difficult, so here is some information
relating to common concerns about
vaccinations.
Myth: Better hygiene and sanitation will
make diseases disappear so vaccines are
unnecessary.
Fact: The diseases that can be
vaccinated against will return if vaccination
programmes are stopped. While better
hygiene and sanitation certainly do help
protect people from infectious disease,
many infections spread regardless of how
clean people are.
Myth: Vaccines have several damaging
and long-term side effects that are yet
unknown. Vaccination can even be fatal.
Fact: Vaccines are safe. Most reactions
to vaccines are minor and temporary, such
as a sore arm or a mild fever. You are more
likely to be seriously injured by a vaccinepreventable disease than by a vaccine. The
benefits of vaccination greatly outweigh the
risk.
Myth: Most vaccine-preventable
diseases are almost eradicated in Malaysia,
so there is no reason to be vaccinated
against them.
Fact: Although certain vaccinepreventable diseases may be uncommon in
Malaysia, the infectious agents that cause
them continue to circulate in many parts
of the world. They can easily cross borders
through a host and infect anyone who is not
protected.

Myth: Giving a child more than one


vaccine at a time can increase the risk of
harmful side effects, which can overload the
childs immune system.
Fact: Scientific evidence shows that
giving several vaccines at the same time
has no adverse effect on a childs immune
system. A child is exposed to far more
antigens from a common cold or sore throat
than they are from vaccines. In fact, when it
is possible to have a combined vaccine, such
as for measles, mumps and rubella, it means
fewer injections.
Myth: Vaccines cause autism.
Fact: The 1998 study that raised
concerns about a possible link between
the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR)
vaccine and autism was found to be
flawed and the journal that published the
paper retracted it. The person who wrote
the report was found guilty of serious
professional misconduct by the United
Kingdoms General Medical Council and
was struck off the medical register. Further
properly conducted scientific studies found
no evidence of a link between the MMR
vaccine and autism and autistic disorders.
Myth: Vaccines contain mercury, which
is dangerous.
Fact: Thiomersal is an organic, mercurycontaining compound added to some
vaccines as a preservative. It is the most
widely used preservative for vaccines that
are provided in multi-dose vials. There is no
scientific or anecdotal evidence to suggest
that the amount of thiomersal used in
vaccines poses a health risk.

A wholesome
staple food
A

HEALTHIER alternative to refined


white rice is brown rice. Its low
glycaemic rating helps reduce
unwanted sugar spikes and keep blood
glucose on an even keel.
This makes it an ideal choice for those
who are trying to lose weight or who suffer
from diabetes.

Natural goodness
The hull of brown rice is still intact
with the grain, thus includes the added
nutritional value of the bran and germ that
store plenty of nutrients such as protein,
natural fibre, calcium, vitamin B complex,
plant-based fat and other vitamins and
minerals.
This makes your meals more wholesome
and nutritious when consuming
ecoBrowns unpolished brown rice.

With ecoBrowns
unpolished brown
rice, you can create
healthier, more
wholesome dishes
that boost the
well-being of you and
your family.
Alongside a pleasant and subtle nutty
flavour, brown rice contains natural fibre,
protein, calcium and vitamin B complex
as well as many other vitamins and
minerals.
It is rich in selenium, which reduces the
risk for common illnesses such as cancer,
heart diseases and arthritis.
It also contains antioxidants and
manganese that help the body synthesise
fats. Packed with all this healthy
goodness, brown rice is one of the most
wholesome foods that should be included
in ones diet.

Locally produced for locals

Source: World Health Organization

Brown rice is a healthier choice for


consumers staple diet as it stores plenty
of nutrients that bring many health
benefits.

ecoBrowns was Malaysias first


homegrown brown rice brand, where
its product was freshly reaped from
Malaysias paddy fields for the Malaysian
market.
The innovative vacuum-packaging
helps maintain the freshness of the rice,
preventing it from spoiling and ensuring
that customers get the best with every
purchase.
With ecoBrowns unpolished brown
rice, you can create healthier, more
wholesome dishes that boost the
well-being of you and your family.

Recipe

Osmanthus fried rice


Ingredients:
1 tbsp osmanthus
150g long beans
1 tbsp mushroom grains
200g ecoBrowns Original
brown rice

2 tbsp cashew nuts


2 tbsp sunflower seed oil
2 tbsp carrots, diced
tsp sea salt
tsp pepper

Method:
Soak the osmanthus in hot water for about 10 minutes.
Filter the water to remove the petals.
Rinse the brown rice and cashew nuts.
Cut long beans into half-inch pieces and set aside.
Pour sunflower seed oil into the wok and fry the cashew nuts over low heat. Add
the long beans, mushroom grains and carrots. Stir-fry until fragrant and set aside.
Place the rice into rice cooker. Add the osmanthus water, salt and pepper and
switch on to cook.
Combine the cooked rice with cashew nuts and vegetables before serving.

Mixed nuts fried brown rice


Ingredients
200g ecoBrowns Gold rice, cooked
Mixed nuts (wolfberries,
cashew nuts, pumpkin seeds,
sesame seeds and almonds)

Seasoning
Pinch of sea salt
2 tbsp sunflower seed oil

Method
Heat the sunflower seed oil in a frying pan.
Add brown rice then add mixed nuts.
Stir evenly until cooked. Add salt to taste.
Serve hot with garnish and dishes of your choice.

StarSpecial, Tuesday 31 March 2015

YOUR HEALTH 7

Dugro 5-Nutri contains protein, vitamin A, lcFOS and DHA, which are nutrients that support the overall
growth of children.

Nurturing a
well-rounded child
D

O you wonder if you are doing all


that you can to nurture your childs
potential to his or her fullest?
Providing children with enough nutrition
is ensuring that they get their daily dose
of the vital nutrients that support five
key areas of growth the brain, bones,
immunity, digestion and vitality.

Brain development
A childs brain undergoes significant
growth in the first three years.
It is no wonder that a young child may
seem like a sponge that absorbs lots of
information.
Nutrients such as docosahexaenoic acid
(DHA) are important to support this rapid
growth.

Building strong bones


One of the thrills of being a parent
is watching your children grow taller,
stronger, more active and develop curiosity
about the world around them.
Therefore, it is just as important that
children develop strong bones to support
their body movements as they play with
friends, whether it is clambering around
playgrounds or climbing new heights.
As much as 90% of bone development
occurs by the age of 18 in women and
20 in men.
Hence, a good supply of calcium
during childhood is essential in laying the
foundation for healthy bones when they
enter adulthood.
This works hand-in-hand with tissuebuilding. Children need a steady supply
of protein, which builds and repairs body
tissues as they grow.

Fortified immune system


To ensure that children are protected
as they play actively and discover new and
interesting things around them, having a
resilient immune system is vital.

A good supply of
calcium during
childhood is essential
in laying the
foundation for healthy
bones when they enter
adulthood.
In this case, it is important to have the
right amount of vitamin A to support the
immune system as well as maintain good
vision and healthy skin.

Effective digestive system


Developing good digestive health in
children is important too as it allows
the body to efficiently absorb nutrients,
experience fewer digestive problems such
as constipation and have better resistance
against infections.
Prebiotics such as the long chain
fructo-oligosaccharides (lcFOS) help
to maintain a healthy intestinal
environment where good bacteria
(probiotics) can thrive, which in turn
keeps the digestive system healthy and
resistant to infections.

Ensuring vitality for the future


Childrens dimensional growth and
potential can be supported with the
new-and-improved Dugro 5-Nutri.
Dugro 5-Nutri is formulated with
protein, calcium, vitamin A and lcFOS and
now contains 100% more DHA to support
brain development.
The right nutrition that supports a
healthy body combined with a nurturing
environment gives the necessary
foundations required for children to grow
into well-rounded individuals capable
of exploring, creating and becoming
successful in the future.

Dugro 5-Nutri contains DHA, which is importand for the development of childrens brains.

8 YOUR HEALTH StarSpecial, Tuesday 31 March 2015

Ensuring
public health
F

OOD security remains


one of the most important
markers of quality of life. It
is without a doubt that access to
sufficient amount of nutritious
and safe food is a key to sustaining
life, promoting growth and
maintaining good health. Indeed,
food security and food safety go
hand-in-hand in ensuring public
health.
Unfortunately, a great majority
of people have experienced or
will experience a foodborne or
waterborne disease at some point
in their lives sometimes more
than once.
These diseases create a vicious
cycle of illness and malnutrition,
impede socio-economic
development and harm national
economies in both developing and
developed countries.
One recent example is the
2011 Escherichia coli outbreak
in Germany linked to the
contamination of fenugreek
sprouts.
The outbreak led to 53
deaths and affected eight
countries in Europe and North
America causing an estimated
US$1.3bil (RM4.85bil) in losses
for the agricultural industry
and US$236mil (RM880mil) in
emergency aid payments.
The role of the Ministry of
Healths Food Safety and Quality
Division (FSQD) is to ensure
than the food we eat is not
contaminated with potentially
harmful bacteria, parasites,
viruses, toxins and chemicals that
can cause such an unpleasant and
potentially fatal experience.
There are many aspects to
ensuring that a food product is
safe. On the larger scope, FSQD
facilitates food trade for export,
ensuring that food product is
safe and there is no fraud in the
process, says Mohd Salim Dulatti,
deputy director of the FSQD.

The division sets policy for the


countrys Food Safety and Quality
Programme.
It ensures that the legislation
governing food safety and quality,
as provided for under the Food
Act 1983 and its regulations are
updated.
The FSQD sets and oversees the
implementation of standards for
various categories of food. These
standards are applied to the food
product itself and in its production
and preparation.
The old approach to food
safety, which emphasises end
product testing for food ready for
consumption does not address any
of the problems that can crop up
during production. For example,
the process of getting a pan of
pizza served may involve many
countries where the ingredients
originate from, says Mohd Salim.
At any point of the farming,
harvesting, processing, storage,
transporting and distribution
throughout the supply chain,
contamination can occur due
to anything from negligence
to changes in weather and
temperature.
To ensure that the whole
food supply chain is safe from
contamination and neglect,
certifications and licenses
are given only to traders and
businesses that meet the stringent
requirements.
We also have a direct
responsibility to the public and
conduct programmes to create
awareness regarding food safety,
Mohd Salim continues.
In conjunction with the World
Health Day 2015 on April 7, FSQD
encourages the public to be more
informed and play a more active
role in ensuring that the food
that is consumed is safe and of
high quality from the point of its
production to the plate on which it
is served.

Input
Chemical and
fertiliser supplier

Feed supplier

Seeds supplier

On-farm production
Growing/breeding

Harvesting/slaughtering

Manufacturing
Processing/
packaging

Storage

Transporting

Distribution
Fresh food

Processed food

Preparation and consumption


Food supply chain diagram.

Get involved in wellness


ONE of the programmes that the
Ministry of Healths Food Safety
and Quality Division (FSQD)
champions is to improve food
safety awareness among the
public with the Five Keys to Safer
Food developed by the World
Health Organization (WHO).
According to WHO, World
Health Day 2015 on Food Safety,
themed Food safety: from farm
to plate, make food safe is an
opportunity to alert governments,
manufacturers, retailers and the
public on the importance of food
safety.
It is also an opportunity
to inform individuals on the
role that each stakeholder can
play to ensure that the food
on everyones plates is safe for
consumption.
Based on WHOs report, unsafe
food is linked to an estimated two
million deaths worldwide every
year.
Diarrhoea diseases alone kill
an estimated 1.5 million children

Based on WHOs
report, unsafe
food is linked to an
estimated two million
deaths worldwide
every year. Diarrhoea
diseases alone kill an
estimated 1.5 million
children annually.
worldwide annually.
Food containing harmful
microorganisms or chemical
substances are responsible for
more than 200 diseases from
diarrhoea to cancer and as our
food supply becomes increasingly
globalised, so do the emerging
threats that come with it.
Among the common harmful
foodborne microorganisms are:
l Bacteria: Salmonella and E. coli
l Parasites: Giardia and
Trichinella

l Viruses: Hepatitis A and


norovirus
Urbanisation and improved
mobility have increased the
number of people who buy and
eat food in public places.
Not only does this fact
increase the chances of
contracting food and waterborne
diseases, but it also makes the
diseases spread at a higher rate.
Most of the problems related
to food safety can be controlled
with concerted efforts from
various agencies, governments
and industries worldwide, says
Mohd Salim Dulatti, deputy
director of FSQD.
The problem is still serious
in Malaysia and the ministry is
committed to addressing the
matter by involving everyone in
the cause with this campaign.
n For more information, visit
www.fsq.moh.gov.my and
www.who.int/foodsafety

StarSpecial, Tuesday 31 March 2015

YOUR HEALTH 9

Keep your food clean


through hygienic
practices.

Food safety starts with you

Consumers have an important role to play in ensuring food safety.

Consumers matter
C

ONSUMERS play as big a


role as policy-makers and
businesses when it comes to
the quality and safety of food.
As the end-user of food
products, consumers must ensure
that they read the labels for
information such as the producers
logo, expiry date, ingredients and
allergy listing, and instructions for
storage.
There are several certification
logos that are issued by the
Ministry of Health for food
factories.
Food premises are also issued
a logo that can be displayed as
recognition for hygienic, safe and
healthy food.
These certifications and
recognitions are what consumers
can look out for when deciding
on which manufacturers or food
premises to trust.
The consumers are the eyes
and ears of the government. When
they see businesses carrying out
an unscrupulous act, they should
report it to the nearest District
Health Office or the FSQD. Do not
support businesses that are below
standards or do not follow food
safety requirements, says Mohd
Salim Dulatti, deputy director
of the Ministry of Healths Food
Safety and Quality Division FSQD.
He adds that the complaints
received by FSQD will be
investigated and inspected.
If it turns out to be true,
enforcement action will be taken
against the food business owner
such as issuance of compound,
closure of his food premises for a
period 14days or prosecution in
court.
Besides that, certain segments
of the population, especially
younger children, should be
educated by their parents about
food safety as this information
does not reach them in a formal
medium until they are of
schooling age.
After all, it is the parents who
are responsible for buying and

The consumers are


the eyes and ears
of the government.
When they see
businesses carrying
out an unscrupulous
act, they should
report it to the
nearest District
Health Office or the
FSQD.
Mohd Salim Dulatti
preparing their childrens food,
so they should also ensure their
childrens food safety.
Consumers can also look
out for common symptoms of
foodborne diseases, including
stomach pains, vomiting and
diarrhoea.
For most foodborne diseases,

symptoms occur between 24 and


72 hours after the food has been
consumed. However, the symptoms
depend on the cause of the disease.
Food contamination can happen
at any point of production and
distribution, and food producers
hold the primary responsibility of
ensuring it does not happen, says
Mohd Salim.
Still, even when food producers
play their part, a good number of
foodborne and waterborne diseases
can be caused when food is not
properly prepared and stored at
home, at the markets or at food
service establishments.
By adopting basic food hygiene
practices when buying, preparing
and storing food, food can be made
safer for consumption.
Members of the public, especially
those in Malacca, can get more
information on food safety on April
6 and 7 at Aeon Bandaraya Malacca,
where the Ministry of Health
will have a line-up of activities to
celebrate and commemorate World
Health Day.

THE World Health Organization


(WHO) has long been aware of
the need to educate everyone
about their responsibilities
for food safety. In 2001, WHO
introduced the Five Keys to Safer
Food.
The core messages of the Five
Keys to Safer Food are:
l Keep clean because dangerous
microorganisms are widely
found in soil, water, animals and
people and the slightest contact
can transfer them onto food.
Cleanliness can be maintained
by:
Washing your hands before
handling food and often during
food preparation
Washing your hands after going
to the toilet
Washing and sanitising all
surfaces and equipment used for
food preparation
Protecting kitchen areas and
food from insects, pests and other
animals
l Separate raw and cooked
food because raw food and its
juices can contain dangerous
microorganisms that can be
transferred onto other foods
during food preparation and
storage. To avoid contamination:
Separate raw meat, poultry and
seafood from other food items
Use separate equipment and
utensils such as knives and
cutting boards for handling raw
foods
Store food in containers to
avoid contact between raw and
prepared foods
l Cook thoroughly because
proper cooking (at 70C) can
kill almost all dangerous
microorganisms to ensure it is
safe for consumption. To be safe:
Cook food thoroughly, especially

Good Manufacturing
Practices Certification

Food Safety
is the Industry's
Responsibility

Launched in 1998
Guarantee of the
safety of food
products

Launched in 2007
Assists entrepreneurs
to meet the
pre-requisites for the
food industry

Launched in 2012
Assists SME food
entrepreneurs to meet
the requirements of
the Food Hygiene
Regulations 2009

Food safety certifications and campaign by the Food Safety and Quality Division.

l Keep food at safe temperatures


because microorganisms can
multiply very quickly if food is
stored at room temperature.
Do not leave cooked food at
room temperature for more than
two hours
Promptly refrigerate all cooked
and perishable food, preferably
below 5C
Keep cooked food piping hot,
preferably above 60C prior to
serving
Do not store food too long even
in the refrigerator
Do not thaw frozen food at room
temperature; instead, thaw food
in the refrigerator or other cool
locations
l Use safe water and raw
materials because contamination
and toxic chemicals can form in
damaged and mouldy foods. To
avoid contamination:
Use safe water or treat it to
make it safe
Select fresh and wholesome
food
Choose foods that have been
processed for safe consumption,
such as pasteurised milk
Wash fruits and vegetables,
especially when eating them
raw simple measures such as
washing and peeling may reduce
contamination risks
Do not use food beyond its
expiry date

10 facts on food safety (Source: WHO)

Hazard Analysis and


Critical Control Points
Certification

meat, poultry, eggs and seafood,


while paying special attention to
foods such as minced meat, rolled
roasts, large joints of meat and
whole poultry
Bring foods such as soups and
stews to boil to make sure that
they have reached 70C
For meat and poultry, make sure
that the juices are clear, not pink
Reheat cooked food thoroughly

More than 200 diseases are spread through food.


Contaminated food can cause long-term health problems, including
cancer and neurological disorders.
Foodborne diseases affect vulnerable people with poor or fragile
health harder than other groups. It also has higher impacts on
infants, pregnant women and the elderly.
There are many opportunities for food contamination to take place
because todays food supply is complex and involves a wide range
of stages, including on-farm production, slaughtering or harvesting,
processing and transportation.
Globalisation makes food safety more complex and essential
because of how fast diseases can spread.
Food safety is multisectoral, multidisciplinary and a shared
responsibility involving governments, industry, academia and
consumers.
Food contamination also affects the economy and society as a
whole as it can undermine exports, tourism and livelihoods of food
handlers.
Some harmful bacteria are becoming resistant to drug treatments
due to overuse or misuse, making it a growing global health concern.
Everyone has a role to play in keeping food safe by collaborating and
communicating with each other and making use of the best available
knowledge and technology.
Consumers must be well-informed on food safety practices and
adopt adequate behaviours.

10 YOUR HEALTH StarSpecial, Tuesday 31 March 2015

Beauty
&Wellness

Healthy, shiny hair


H

AO Hair Tonic is an intensive and


concentrated traditional herbal hair
tonic that contains natural herbs.
There are no additional preservatives,
fragrances or colouring in HAO Hair Tonic.
The tonic can be used to promote hair
growth, reduce hair fall and maintain hair
density. It also helps prevent the growth of
grey hair.
Some of the herb extracts contained in
the tonic are:
l Thuja occidentalis leaf stimulates hair
growth
l Angelica sinensis leaf adds volume to
hair and improves blood circulation
l Chenopodium ambrosioides leaf
relieves minor skin irritation
l Morus alba fruit strengthens the scalp

The mixture has been specifically


formulated to enable the tonic to be
efficiently absorbed into hair follicles.
HAO Hair Tonic only needs to be applied
on a dry and clean scalp twice daily. With
consistent usage, results can be seen within
one to two weeks.
HAO Herbal Hair Shampoo, a plant-based
cleansing foam for the hair and scalp, is a
great cleansing shampoo that effectively
removes excessive sebum. It also has a
moisturising effect and can be used to
control hair fall.
The shampoo contains Nikkol App-Clev
and Polygonum multiflorum. Nikkol AppClev is a plant-derived ingredient and is
used as a base for cleansing preparations

containing lecithin derivatives. It has strong


cleansing and skin-moisturising abilities.
Polygonum multiflorum supplies
nutrients to the hair follicles, promotes hair
pigmentation and helps make hair healthier
and shinier.
Using HAO Herbal Hair Shampoo and
HAO Hair Tonic together increases the
efficiency of hair growth and overall scalp
care.
n For more information, visit
www.haohairtonic.com.my
HAO Hair products
provide a herbal
solution to hair issues.

Creating corporate well-being


EMPLOYEES are the biggest assets of any
organisation. Having happy, productive
people creates a positive effect on the working environment as well as the companys
growth.
The National Health and Morbidity
Survey 2011 found that more than 2.6
million adults were unhealthy and had
stress issues at work.
This shocking find is a warning sign
for Malaysians, especially working adults,
as their declining health will affect the
profitability and competitiveness of their
respective employers and corporations.
Fortunately, most work-related diseases
can be prevented with holistic wellness
programmes.
Wellness Academy offers holistic health
care education and nutrition consultancy,
which are aimed at empowering
organisations in creating workplace
wellness through a range of professional
workshops, customised training sessions,
health screening tests and nutrition
consultancy.
Wellness Academy comprises a team
of experienced health care professionals
and nutritionists who are passionate
in educating and inspiring corporate
companies and the public to make healthy
choices to get fit and live well.
There are three main platforms
developed by Wellness Academy the
corporate wellness programme for the
workplace, nutrition course for the public
and custom-designed corporate wellness
retreat.
The corporate wellness programme
helps employees get healthier, even if that

The Wellness Academy nutritionist team.


simply means learning how to reduce stress
and muscle strain at work.
This programme also involves outdoor
activities for weight loss and improvement
of fitness and mental health.
The nutrition course offers insightful
and straightforward nutrition education
to the public. With its easy-to-understand
lectures and course materials, participants
gain knowledge and an understanding of
nutrition and its importance for health.
The custom-designed corporate wellness
retreat provides interactive workshops on
nutrition, health and wellness.
Participants of the retreat can indulge
in deliciously healthy, nutritious meals and
detox juice throughout the day, take part in
outdoor activities and experience soothing
steam baths, sauna and body massage
sessions.
Through the holistic wellness
programmes by the Wellness Academy,
businesses can create an environment that
provides a happier and healthier workforce
as well as gain better returns on their
investments.

StarSpecial, Tuesday 31 March 2015

YOUR HEALTH 11

Beauty
&Wellness
Proper suncare
is important for
children to remain
healthy and happy.

Revitalising
your scalp
T

Keeping safe in the sun


EVEN though the sun is a great source of
vitamin D, overexposure to the sun poses
potential danger to our health. Children
are often out in the sun for long periods of
the day, whether they are in school or just
playing outside after lessons.
The risk of damage increases with the
amount and intensity of exposure, so it is
important to ensure your child is kept safe
when he is out in the sun.

Why should we keep safe?


Depletion of the ozone layer continues
to increase human exposure to the sun,
and children are reportedly exposed to
approximately three times the cumulative
annual adult dose of safe ultraviolet (UV).
On top of that, direct sunlight is not the
only source of UV radiation reflections
from sand, water and pavements can also
contribute to this.
Children with lower melanin levels are at
greater risk of suffering the adverse effects
of sun exposure. Melanin in the skin plays a
part in absorbing UV rays, acting as primary
defence against the sun.
Children with fair skin and hair, moles on
their skin or a family history of skin cancer,
including melanoma, all fall in this category.
However, it is important to remember
that all of us are susceptible to these effects
regardless of melanin levels.
The sun is strongest near the equator,
and tropical Malaysia is located in this
equatorial region.

How do we keep safe?


There are several ways you can protect
your child from overexposure to the sun.
Watch out for the eyes The crystalline
lens in a childs eye is less capable in
filtering UV rays than in adults, which
heightens the risk for eye damage later in
life.
Sunglasses are a good preliminary
preventive measure, but you should
take your child to the optometrist for
consultation first, especially if he has
pre-existing eye conditions. Wearing large
caps or floppy hats can also help to protect
your childs eyes and face.
Limit time outdoors This is especially
important in the daytime from 10am to
4pm. Arrange your childrens sports or
other outdoor activities to fall outside this
time frame. If they must be outdoors, try to
ensure that they are under shade or at least
not exposed for long hours.
Make sure they have enough sunscreen
applied evenly on the exposed areas of their
bodies, especially on the back of neck and
shoulders, which are prone to sunburn.
Babies younger than six months old should
be kept away from direct sunlight.
Make impactful choices When getting
sunglasses for your children, choose ones
that are close-fitting and have effective

UV blocking, impact-resistant lenses. If


they already wear prescription lenses, get
powered sunglasses so they can keep their
shades on without worrying about seeing
clearly.
When it comes to sunscreen, get broad
spectrum types that effectively filter out
the dangerous types of UV rays. Specialists
recommend sunscreen with sun protection
factor (SPF) of at least 30 be applied every
two hours under the sun.
It is essential that enough sunscreen
is applied to exposed areas of the body.
Children should also be properly dressed
for their time in the sun, with tightly woven
clothes in dark colours that are also light
enough for the warm weather.

HE majority of people are not aware


that their hair follicles are normally
blocked by excessive oil. Sometimes,
hair that looks healthy does not necessarily
reflect scalp health.
A hair follicle is similar to the nose. It
needs to breathe and be fed with nutrients.
When oil collects around follicles, it
becomes hard for hair to absorb the
nutrients, resulting in problem scalp and
hair loss. Moreover, an oily scalp is easily
infected by follimites.
Follimites are tiny parasitic demodex
mites that live in or near hair follicles of
mammals. They are identified as the main
factor in damaged scalps that causes the
thinning of hair.
Normally, this harmful mite lives
inside the sebaceous glands and
hair follicles, damaging cell walls.
Therefore, regularly clearing the
excess oils and detoxifying the
scalp is important in making the
hair grow healthily.
Miracle Hair Expert (MHE),
an organised team of local hair
care experts and specialists
Miracle Hair Experts shampoo can
help treat oily scalp and thinning hair.

with a total of 19 outlets, has successfully


innovated a herbal scalp therapy that can
be customised for specific hair problems,
especially follimites.
It also offers a shampoo that is suitable
for treating oily scalp and hair thinning as
well as provides solutions for:
l Ageing scalp
l Infected, itchy scalp
l Balancing oily scalp
l Controlling scalp and follicle bacteria/
germs
l Improving hair density and scalp
strengthening
l Improving blood circulation of the scalp
via cooling and relaxing
If you are experiencing a scalp problem
and hair thinning, the Miracle Hair Expert
team can help you. It is giving a special offer
to the first 100 new customers.
Type MH<space>TSA8, the area you live
in, name, age and SMS to 36660 to get a free
one-time scalp therapy, follimites check and
200ml shampoo.
This offer is exclusively for new
customers aged 21 and above. Terms and
conditions apply.
n For more information, call the MHE
hotline at 1300 886 833.

12 YOUR HEALTH StarSpecial, Tuesday 31 March 2015

E live in a world that is


becoming increasingly
competitive.
As a result, children often feel
the pressure placed on them to
gain good grades, which may lead
to social, emotional and physical
stress.
At Smart Reader Kids, the pursuit
for academic excellence is balanced
with a healthy and fun learning
environment.
Smart Reader Worldwide
executive director Kevan Ong says
learning becomes stressful when
students consider learning boring,
when they feel they have no other
choice but to do it and when the
content is complex.
To overcome this, Smart Reader
Worldwide concentrates on making
sure that its teaching and learning
methodology is fun and simple.
Childrens brains are most
receptive when they are between
the ages of three and six. Their
brains are like sponge and they can
absorb anything that we teach.
It is a golden opportunity to
feed them with as much knowledge
as possible, but it is also important
not to sacrifice their childhood
experiences in the process, says
Ong.
The Smart Reader Creative
Teaching Methodology provides a

Making learning fun


balanced learning experience by
adopting a creative, simple and fun
teaching methodology.
When learning is made fun, it
becomes something that children
want to do well because they enjoy
doing it, says Ong.
We even have students who do
not like school holidays because
holidays are time spent away from
school, their friends and from a
place they enjoy. That is testament
to the system at Smart Reader Kids
in sparking interest and passion in
children, says Ong.
Instead of presenting topics in a
complex manner, Smart Reader Kids
modules are simplified and broken
down to easily understandable
topics with progressively increasing
level of difficulty.
Children are also segregated
based on their comprehension level
and not their age.
Smart Reader Worldwide
understands that every child has a
different level of comprehension.
By that logic, when a child
requires more time to understand

a subject matter, they are placed in


a special class where they are given
extra attention.
For those who are faster,
additional materials are given
to them so that they would not
become bored with learning.
Ong, a Smart Reader Kids
alumnus, enjoyed his days at
Smart Reader Kids.
He says, Smart Reader Kids
recognises that every child is an
individual with different learning
styles.
Thus, multiple education
methods are used to reach out to
each student. I had many friends
and loved my teachers, who I still
keep in touch with.
Children at Smart Reader Kids
can be sure to experience a fun
learning environment that nurtures
them to become well-rounded
individuals.
n For more information,
call 03-6279 5555 or visit
www.smartreaderkids.edu.my or
www.smartreader.edu.my

Smart Reader Worldwide executive director Kevan Ong with some of the Smart
Reader Kids students

StarSpecial, Tuesday 31 March 2015

EIN problems can be


categorised into chronic and
acute disorders. Unsightly
varicose veins (chronic) and
bruises (acute) that cover your legs
not only look unattractive, these
vein problems can also be difficult
to conceal, causing people to lose
self-confidence and experience
discomfort in their leg as they
move.
Varicose veins are large dark
purple or blue veins that usually
bulge. They sometimes appear
twisted and can look like cords
under the surface of your skin.
The most common place to
have these veins is in your legs.
They appear as swollen veins,
which happens when your blood
flow is interrupted, clogging the
veins and making them swollen.
Most of the time, varicose veins
are associated with age. As you
age, your veins lose suppleness
much like your skin and are
unable to force blood back to your
heart.
The valves in your veins also
lose their suppleness and no
longer open and close properly,
adding to the problem of bulging
veins.
Not all cases of varicose veins
are due to ageing though. Even
though pregnant women have an

Treating silent discomfort


Most of the time,
varicose veins are
associated with
age. As you age,
your veins lose
suppleness much
like your skin and
are unable to force
blood back to
your heart.
Hirudoid cream contains mucopolysaccharide
polysulphate (MPS), an ingredient that can help
alleviate symptoms of varicose veins.
increased blood volume in their
abdomen to support the growing
baby, it is common for them to
experience varicose veins in their
legs due to poor blood flow from
the abdomen.
Besides that, those who suffer
from obesity, who stand or even

Healthy
juices
JUICING is an effective way for
your family members to consume
their minimum daily intake of
fruits and vegetables. By doing
your own juicing, you can ensure
that the contents of your juice
suit your dietary needs as well as
preferred taste.
All juicing is good, but some
methods are better than others.
Although blenders are efficient
in reducing fruits and vegetables
to liquid form, the violent
chopping action of the blades
inside a blender can bruise and
damage produce, destroying good
nutrients.
Additionally, blenders have
a tendency to heat up after
prolonged use, which may cook
and neutralise the enzymes that
you are aiming to obtain from
juicing.
Centrifugal juicers are not
only better at squeezing the
good nutrients out of fruits and
vegetables than blenders, they
also use blades that speedily
chop up the produce.
The friction caused by the
fast blade of these juicers both
oxidises the fruits and vegetables
and cooks the enzymes you can
only get from raw produce.
Masticating juicers (slow
juicers), however, treat produce in
a different way. They move slowly,
using a part called an auger to
gently squeeze juice out of fruits
and vegetables.
The slower action of this
type of juicers preserves the
good nutrients of raw fruits and
vegetables. Because these juicers
squeeze instead of chop, the
friction that causes oxidisation is
kept to a minimum.
Therefore, juices prepared this
way stay good and fresh for longer
periods of time.
NUC Electronics from South
Korea has launched the worlds
first wide-mouth slow juicer

YOUR HEALTH 13

Kuvings Whole Slow Juicer


preserves the essential nutrients
in raw fruits and vegetables.
in the market, which will
change the way you can slow
juice. With it, you can put in
a whole apple or big pieces of
leafy vegetables.
Kuvings slow juicers can
combine a variety of different
fruits and vegetables to make
delicious, nutritious juices for
the whole family. It is easy to
personalise your juice recipes
to meet the specific dietary
requirements of your family.
Kuvings Whole Slow Juicer
is a slow masticating juicer
with a wide mouth that
yields higher juice volume
and maximum nutrients.
Requiring very little
preparation time, this latest
innovation from Kuvings
is a welcome treat to those
who want to start juicing for
health reasons.
You can purchase
Kuvings juicers from Isetan,
Cold Storage, Mercato
DMarketplace, Jasons Food
Hall, Aeon and various home
appliance and health product
expos nationwide.
n For more information,
call 03-5885 4151 or visit
www.kuvings.my

sit with their legs crossed for long


periods of time have a higher risk
of developing varicose veins.
This is not just a typical
cosmetic problem that affects
your self-confidence; it can also
cause discomfort and pain if left
untreated.

Hirudoid is a Swiss-formulated
product containing an active
ingredient that can help treat
varicose veins.
The active ingredient,
mucopolysaccharide polysulphate
(MPS), dissolves blood clots in
affected veins, improves blood
flow and alleviates symptoms of
varicose veins.
MPS can alleviate the
symptoms by counteracting the
inflammatory responses that

cause the pain, swelling and


redness.
MPS is responsible for the
suppleness and strength of your
connective tissues.
It has anti-blood clot and
anti-inflammation functions
that also accelerate and promote
the regeneration of your skins
connective tissue.
Varicose veins happen when
the valves within the vein weaken
and do not ensure blood flow in
one direction, causing pressure
within the vein.
MPS eases the valves within the
veins by improving blood flow and
reducing the pressure that causes
swelling.
It also helps to relieve the pain
and tension in the affected areas,
improve the blood supply to your
skin, reduce the time of your
bodys natural healing process and
improve the appearance of your
skin in no time.
n Look out for the advertisement
in this StarSpecial.

14 YOUR HEALTH StarSpecial, Tuesday 31 March 2015

Natural detoxifier
BARLEY grass possesses a higher nutritional
value compared to wheatgrass and has
a wide spectrum of naturally occurring
nutrients available such as vitamins,
proteins, amino acids, enzymes and
minerals.
BarleyGreen nutrition advisor from the
United States, Dr Bob Terry, says that the
nutrients in BarleyGreen have a synergistic
effect. This synergy makes it an ideal
detoxifier, improving peoples
health in a natural and effective
manner.

Superior detoxifying
effect
Dr Terry explains that
among the nutrients available
in BarleyGreen, enzymes
and chlorophyll are the two
substances that possess
detoxifying power.
BarleyGreen contains high
amount of live enzymes of high
quality that neutralise toxins to
their least harmful states.
The toxins present in a human
body may include pesticides, heavy metals,
food additives, preservatives, chemicals and
food colouring.

Antioxidants vs
non-communicable diseases
Free radicals are known to be highly
chemically reactive, found in water and food
and pose a threat to the human body when
they react with cellular components such as
DNA and protein.
This can lead to chronic diseases such
as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and
premature ageing.
Fortunately, antioxidants oppose the
negative effects of free radicals by reducing
the damage it causes to the human body.
Dr Terry says, BarleyGreen contains a
relatively high amount of antioxidants such
as 2-0-GIV, which is a type of flavonoid.

Consuming oat beta-glucan


daily offers various health
benefits, including lowering
cholestrol levels.

The antioxidant effect of this


antioxidant is known to be 500 times
better than vitamin E, especially in
the prevention of harm from UV light
exposure.
Other antioxidants found in BarleyGreen
include beta-carotene (provitamin A),
vitamin C and vitamin E, chlorophyll,
catalase and superoxide dismutase.

Lowering the
prevalence of diseases
Undoubtedly, fat-laden foods
are the main culprit for arteries
blockage, leading to the
likelihood of various diseases.
BarleyGreen effectively
breaks down the lipids and
cholesterol content in food,
lowering the prevalence of
chronic diseases.
Consumption of alcohol
will increase the level
of acetaldehyde and
propionaldehyde, which are
oxidation products of alcohol in
the blood.
This causes discomfort, hangovers,
headaches and the weakening of liver
function.
Davis Laboratories, a non-destructive
testing service in California, has carried
out studies that show that the presence
of a unique bioflavonoid in BarleyGreen
known as 2-0-GIV helps to suppress the
damage caused by toxins from alcohol on
the human body.
It does this by preventing the formation
of acetaldehyde from alcohol, hence
reducing the unpleasant effect of alcohol in
the body.
Despite the human body having
its own detoxifying system, Dr Terry
believes that with the increasing toxins
in our environment today, our own body
detoxifier will be insufficient to eliminate
all toxins in our body, thus requiring
external resources of the required
enzymes.

Breaking the
cycle of obesity
S

TATISTICS from the National Health


and Morbidity Survey from 2006 to
2011 found that childhood obesity
affects one in every seven children in
Malaysia.
More recently, Malaysian adults were
also identified as being the fattest among
South-East Asian nations.
The change in eating habits and
sedentary lifestyle might be the
reasons Malaysians are becoming
increasingly obese.

Did you know?


High blood
cholesterol
affects both
adults and
children.
Children are
at high risk of
developing high
blood cholesterol if
they become obese
due to poor eating habits and lack of
physical activity.
The effective way to curb childhood
obesity and high cholesterol is having a
healthy, balanced diet coupled with regular
exercise.
Parents with obese children should
focus on providing nutritious meals such as
incorporating a high-fibre, low-cholesterol
option in accordance to the Malaysian food
pyramid.

Proven effectiveness
Extended studies have also shown that
oat beta-glucan can assist in weight loss
due to its effects on the digestive system.
Its viscosity in the gut when consumed
gives a feeling of satiety thus suppressing
overeating or cravings.
The same viscosity effect helps reduce
blood cholesterol level by binding dietary
fats and cholesterol in foods to prevent it
from being absorbed into the body.
A study by the University of Toronto,
Canada, discovered that the ability of oat
beta-glucan to lower LDL cholesterol is
related to its molecular weight and viscosity
in the gut.
It was found that consuming 3g of oat
bran cereal per day consisting of highmolecular weight oat beta-glucan lowered
LDL cholesterol by 5%.
Higher molecular weight oat betaglucan (more than 2,200kDa) was shown
to produce higher viscosity effect in the
upper gut (small intestine), thus producing a
greater effect in lowering LDL cholesterol.
Low molecular weight (less than 210kDa)
oat beta-glucan, on the other hand, had
minimal or no effect on LDL cholesterol
level.
Consumers should ensure that they take
the recommended amount of 3g of oat betaglucan a day as well as be aware of whether

the ingested oat beta-glucan is effective in


reducing cholesterol in the human body.
To ensure that a product works, the
molecular weight and viscosity effect of oat
beta-glucan on the human body should be
taken into consideration when choosing
from the many brands available in the
market.
Biogrow Oat BG22 Oat Bran Powder and
Crispy Cereal offer a range of health
benefits in addition to lowering
cholesterol levels.
According to Yayasan Jantung
Malaysia (YJM), you should take
3g of oat beta-glucan as part of
a low-fat and low-cholesterol
diet to help reduce cholesterol.
Two scoops of Biogrow Oat BG22
provides more than 3g of
beta-glucan.

Healthy eating at home


When it comes to teaching
healthy eating habits to kids, it is
advisable to teach them early and be a role
model of healthy eating.
Children can savour the heart-healthy
Oat BG22 Oat Bran Powder and Crispy
Cereal in a variety of ways, such as with
a sprinkle of oat bran powder in their
favourite beverage or having Oat BG22
Crispy Cereals with fresh fruits for
breakfast.
This article is contributed by Legosan
(Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.
n For more information, call 03-7956 2220
or e-mail info@biogrow.com.my
Other health
benefits of
Oat BG22s oat
beta-glucan

Mechanism

Stabilises blood
sugar levels

Soluble fibre slows down


the digestion of sugary
foods and prevents
sudden spike in blood
sugar levels.

Promotes
bowel regularity

Oat BG22 Oat Bran


Powder or Crispy Cereal
contains insoluble fibre,
which adds bulk to stools
and promotes bowel
movement. High-fibre
intake has been shown to
improve overall gut
health.

Keeps you
full for longer
periods

Soluble fibre takes longer


to digest. This means you
stay full for a longer time
period and will not tend
to overeat. Reduced
dietary calories can aid in
weight loss through
regular exercise as well.

StarSpecial, Tuesday 31 March 2015

YOUR HEALTH 15

Antioxidant for healthy eyes


A

CCORDING to the World


Health Organization (WHO),
there are three leading
causes of visual impairment
in many middle-income and
industrialised countries, with
diabetic retinopathy being the
first followed by glaucoma and
age-related macular degeneration
(AMD).
People who are at a greater risk
of developing diabetic retinopathy
are those who have suffered from
years of diabetes mellitus. Diabetic
retinopathy affects more than 70%
of diabetic patients within
15 years of diagnosis.
It is estimated that almost
all patients with Type I diabetes
and 60% of patients with Type II
diabetes would develop different
stages of diabetic retinopathy
20 years after being diagnosed
with diabetes.
Unfortunately, diabetic
retinopathy is undetectable until
significant damage has been
done to the eye tissues. Diabetic
retinopathy begins with an
uncontrolled blood glucose level,
which increases the production of
free radicals and oxidative stress.
This causes the blood vessels to
thicken, reducing blood flow to
the eyes.
New, abnormal and weak
blood vessels grow in the eyes;
some of these newly grown blood
vessels are so leaky that blood
and blood lipids seep through the
capillaries. The retina then bleeds

Diabetic retinopathy is
undetectable until the eye
tissues have experienced
considerable damage.
and swells, leading to the damage
of nerves and eye tissues, which
causes vision loss at the later
stage.
Researchers are working
on a treatment for diabetic
retinopathy. Since the 1960s,
bioflavonoids extracted
from French maritime pine
(Pinus pinaster) bark has been
extensively studied for the
benefits of human health. It
consists of a highly bioavailable
antioxidant procyanidins and
phenolic acids patented and
marketed as Pycnogenol.
Up to date, Pycnogenol showed
significant health protection in
diabetes as demonstrated in a
study published in International

Opthalmology in 2002, whereby


1,300 patients with diabetic
retinopathy treated with
Pycnogenol shows that it helped
to prevent and alleviate the
symptoms of diabetic retinopathy.
Pycnogenol is a potent
antioxidant agent. According to
a study on lipid peroxidation of
bovine retina, Pycnogenol protects
bovine retinal tissues from lipid
peroxidation much better than
antioxidants such as vitamin C,
vitamin E, lipoic acid and grape
seed extract.
Apart from that, Pycnogenol
has the ability to double the
activities of antioxidant enzymes
as well as recycle itself and other
antioxidant vitamins such as

vitamin C to allow continuous


usage of antioxidant agents in
our body.
Consumption of Pycnogenol
with lutein exhibits additional
synergistic protection of retinal
lipids from oxidation by 60%.
These properties make Pycnogenol
an ideal antioxidant agent for the
maintenance of healthy eyes.
The efficacy of Pycnogenol in
alleviating diabetic retinopathy is
strongly supported by numerous
clinical studies. A study published
in Phytotherapy Research in
2001 on 30 patients supported
the effectiveness of Pycnogenol
in inhibiting the progression
of retinopathy by reducing the
leakage of capillaries in the retina.
It also improved visual acuity
of patients with early stages of
retinopathy by 21.4% after two
months of supplementation.
The same study showed that
Pycnogenol could relieve retinal
edema, the early stage in diabetic
retinopathy, through increased
capillary wall strength.
Pycnogenol is also wellregarded for its ability to improve
blood sugar levels. It is able
to inhibit alpha-glucosidase
(an enzyme that breaks down
carbohydrates into glucose),
reducing blood glucose levels.
Its ability to improve blood
sugar level is proven by a study
published in Diabetic Research and
Clinical Practice in 2007, which
showed that Pycnogenol improved

blood glucose levels after fasting


or at random, as well as HbA1c
level a primary indicator for
diabetes.
Not all pine bark extracts
are equal. Pycnogenol French
maritime pine bark extract
is extracted from the bark of
mono-species pine trees grown
exclusively in Les Landes de
Gascogne forest in south-west
France. The forest is unspoiled
and natural, with no pesticides
or herbicides. The Pycnogenol
extraction process is patented and
complies with the highest quality
standards.
This article is brought to you by
BiO-LiFE Marketing Sdn Bhd.
n For more information,
call 03-7843 6981 or e-mail
health@biolife.com.my

The extract of French maritime pine


(Pinus pinaster) bark contains an
antioxidant that can help prevent
and lessen the symptoms of diabetic
retinopathy.

16 YOUR HEALTH StarSpecial, Tuesday 31 March 2015

OENZYME Q10 (CoQ10) is a


vitamin-like substance and
fat soluble in nature. CoQ10
is found in almost every cell of the
human body and is also known as
ubiquinone.
CoQ10 was first isolated in 1957
and found in high concentration in
tissues with high energy turnover
such as the heart, brain, liver and
kidney.
It is also an important nutrient
for a number of activities related
to energy metabolism. This is the
reason it is most abundant in the
energy-producing centre of the
cell known as mitochondria.
It transforms carbohydrates
and fats in the mitochondria into
adenosine triphosphate (ATP),
which is a form of energy used
by cells. Aside from that, CoQ10
increases the energy supply by
preserving the process in cardiac
cells.

Love and care for your heart


CoQ10 was first
isolated in 1957
and found in high
concentration in
tissues with high
energy turnover
such as the heart,
brain, liver and
kidney. It is also an
important nutrient
for a number
of activities
related to energy
metabolism.

Powerful antioxidant
In addition to its role in energy
production, CoQ10 also functions
as a powerful antioxidant by
stabilising cell membranes and
protecting against the damaging
effect of free radicals in the heart.
As an antioxidant, it possesses
the ability to protect low-density
lipoprotein cholesterol from
oxidation in the body, thus aiding
in preventing atherosclerosis.
CoQ10 is a compound that is
naturally made in the body but
can also be obtained from food
source.
Organ meats are among the
richest sources of CoQ10. For
example, beef liver contains
39mg/kg to 50mg/kg of CoQ10
and heart contains 113mg/kg.

A healthy heart is the foundation for a happy life.


CoQ10 can also be found in
smaller amount in sardines (5mg/
kg to 64 mg/kg), salmon (4mg/
kg to 8mg/kg), peanuts (27mg/kg)
and broccoli (6mg/kg to 9mg/kg).

Replenishing CoQ10
Although our bodies can
produce a certain amount of
CoQ10, people may experience a
certain degree of deficiency of this
nutrient for various reasons.
Age can be a factor, in

which ageing leads to reduced


production and the amount of
CoQ10 in tissues. Other factors
include insufficient dietary
intake of CoQ10, excessive
utilisation of CoQ10 by the body,
or a combination of any of these
reasons.
Statin is one of the lipidmodifying agents used to treat
hyperlipidaemia.
If you are on medication,
especially with statin,
supplementation of CoQ10 is

recommended to help replenish


depleted stores of CoQ10 that
subsequently occurs.
A study by the Hokuriku Lipid
Research Group titled Effects
of CoQ10 supplementation on
plasma lipoprotein lipid, CoQ10
and liver and muscle enzyme
levels in hypercholesterolemic
patients treated with
atorvastatin: A randomized
double-blind study, published
in August 2007, observed that
hypercholesterolaemic patients
treated with atorvastatin for
16 weeks who were provided
supplementation of CoQ10
(100mg/day) showed an increase
in plasma CoQ10 by 127%.

Meanwhile, the patients in the


placebo group showed reductions
of plasma CoQ10 by 42%. HMGCoA reductase inhibitors (statins)
were used to treat elevated blood
cholesterol levels by blocking
cholesterol biosynthesis that also
block CoQ10 biosynthesis.
The resulting lowering of blood
CoQ10 levels is due to the partially
shared biosynthethic pathway of
CoQ10 and cholesterol.
In addition, combining CoQ10
with other potent antioxidants
such as vitamin E can benefit the
heart as well.
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble
antioxidant that inhibits the
oxidation of low-density
lipoprotein cholesterol.
Vitamin E is also essential for
maintaining a healthy immune
system, heart, capillary walls
and skin as well as reducing the
severity of inflammations.
A deficiency in CoQ10 in the
body may lead to tiredness and
muscle fatigue.
When CoQ10 is diminished,
the heart weakens and eventually
results in congestive heart failure.
Therefore, supplementing
your diet with additional CoQ10
can help your body maintain the
sufficient levels of nutrients, which
is important not only for heart
health but also for maintaining
healthy blood pressure, energy
levels and general well-being.
n Look out for the advertisement
in this StarSpecial.

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